The Daviess County Commissioners agreed to contribute $5,000 toward an early warning system for the town of Odon, one of the few towns in the area without a storm warning siren.

Commissioner and Washington Township Volunteer Fire Chief Tony Wichman could not attend the meeting Monday as he was busy helping coordinate flood relief efforts in Elnora.

Sue Myers, siren committee co-chair, asked commissioners to contribute the money from the Emergency 911 Fund, which consists of fees from telephone and cell phone usage. The auditor’s office found the E-911 fund contains $199,869.98 and the wireless E-911 fund has $503,227.21.

The total cost of the project is $17,000, and the fund raising committee has raised more than $7,000 in private funds, including $1,000 from Daviess Community Hospital, according to a letter from Myers and her co-chair Dr. Scott Manis.

The system would help protect citizens of the area, stated the letter, including residents of Ketchem Memorial Center, Capehart Manor, Maplewood Apartments, Odon Housing complex and Parkview Assisted Living Center.

Commissioner Jim Truelove worried that Montgomery residents would be upset because they did not receive county money for the siren they recently installed, but Myers said if they wanted county money, they could have asked.

Commissioners approved the $5,000 contribution pending Sheriff Steve Cox’s blessing.

In other business

HIGHWAY

DEPARTMENT

Commissioners opened paving and bridge bids. They accepted all the paving bids they received and will figure which company is cheapest to use depending on where they are paving and transportation costs. Rogers Group bid $67.25 per ton to lay pavement and $56.75 per ton for the county to pick up the asphalt and lay it themselves. Tri-County Paving bid $60.95 per ton to lay asphalt and $48.85 per ton for the county to lay it themselves. Asphalt Materials bid $1.9535 for chip and seal oil.

The commissioners received three bids for Bridge 281 and accepted the lowest bid from E&H Building and Grating of Bedford for $93,729, provided the bid meets specifications.

Highway Superintendent Larry McLin mentioned that the price for dust control oil would go up Tuesday. He also told commissioners the state has advised him to decrease his budget for 2009 by 1 percent. He said he has already spent as much this year on fuel as he did in all of 2004.

Commissioners approved a request for a stop sign on Cpt. W.J. Nelson Drive at the WestGate @ Crane technology park.

Commissioner Steve Myers said a resident has requested the county close an alley in Epsom to keep the 12-foot grader from going through the eight-foot alley. County Attorney Jeff Hayes will file a petition to close the alley.